Maximum Hunger:DNA Mutation
by clarusignis
Summary: Fashion in the capital is now DNA mutation.But 11 years ago, the stylists were just experimenting-on children. I am one of those children and this is my story-the story of Maximum Ride. Rated Teen because it's the Hunger Games. All rights reserved to Suzanne Collins and James Patterson. (No infringement or copyright intended)
1. Chapter 1 The Start

I woke up to my sister, Angela, course she would be-today was her first Reaping.I gently shook her awake,and she clung to me,her big blue eyes wide with fear.  
"It was me Max! They picked me!"  
It's your first year,Ange,they won't pick you,'' I replied soothingly.

The sun was just rising as I slipped out the back door after settling Ange back into bed. I ran across the meadow,to the barbed wire fence surrounding District 12 and, like every other day, the fence was not alive with electricity,so I ducked under the gap near the butcher's. The woods had always been my place, the only place where I could be free, to do whatever I want,to say whatever I want,without the risk of being punished for it.

I retrived my bow and arrows from the hollow log my friend,Katniss Everdeen,and I alway put our hunting gear.I heard a rustling in the bush behind me,then noticed that Katniss' bow and arrows weren't there.  
"Katniss! Come out!" I yelled into the forest."Or do you want me to tell Gale that you have a crush-"She didn't, of course, it was just a running joke between us. My sentence and thoughts were boken off by a hand,Katniss', over my mouth.

"Mmmghm!" I tried to yell in protest.

"You'll be good Max, right?"Katniss said. I nodded."Good" And so we started hunting.  
-–-

After a few hours, we had caught a deer, two rabbits, then traded at the Hub,as usual, and had agreed to meet again with our little sisters right before the Reaping. The moment I got home,Angel greeted me with a cry of,"Mommy's got a dress for you! It's on your bed!"

Woah. She seemed seriously excited. To prove my point,she dragged me to the room we shared and threw a dark green dress at me."Come on,Max,Try it on! For me! Please!",giving me the Bambi eyes. Normally , I hated wearing dresses,but those eyes totally were my undoing.

"Fine,fine. Just let me take a bath first."I said. I threw on the dress after a quick scrub.

"Ooh, Max! You look beautiful!" Ange said when she saw me"Doesn't she, Mommy?"

"You do Max,really," my mom replied.

"Yay! Now I look beautiful! Totally prepared to go die," I muttered sarcastically to them."But you Ange, you look pretty- like a real Angel. Everything will be fine.I promise I'll take care of you,okay?"

"Okay"she said in a small voice,coming to me for a hug.

"Come on,Angel,let's go meet Prim and Katniss"

"Bye,Mom"we yelled in unison,going out of the house.

**A/N : Please PM me to tell me how it criticism is welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2 The Memory and the Reaping

A/N-Sorry that the other chapter was short-it'll get longer, I promise.

A Week Before the Reaping-

"In honor of the fifty years the Capitol has been taking care of the twelve districts after the rebellion,I,President Snow,now announce that in this particular Hunger Games,each tribute will have the choice to be injected with the DNA of another living organism,giving to the tribute more prowress in the Game. The number of the tributes will also be doubled,as a reminder to the districts that freedom is never free."

These were the words said by President Snow which had been brodcasted to every television in Panem and these were the words,or more specifically,the words"Inject"and "DNA" which,to me, brought back terrible memories.

~Flashback~

All my five year old mind can process is a searing pain,threatening to rip me apart. Hazy flashes of people in white lab gowns with weird colored skin and hair,probing at me,sticking sharp things into me. That's when I hear,"Perigrine falcon DNA mutation-sucess."At the same time,my back feels like it's been split open and I feel an alien thing on me-soft feathers.I can only think "Why?"before I am again plunged into a dark void of pain.  
~End of Flashback~

Present-

Angel and I met Katniss and Prim right before the Reaping.I can still remember my first reaping, clinging to Daddy's hand,holding my breath when Effie's hand reached into the bowl,deciding which poor soul would go against twenty-three other tributes,possibly to death. That was four years ago,and while the dread was still there,I had sort of accepted my fate,good or bad. Katniss and I both watched as our little sisters took their places among the tweleve year olds. Then the crackling of the microphone in Effie's hand told us that the Reaping was beginning,

"Welcome,everybody,to the Quarter Quell! Thanks to President Snow's announcement last week, this year's Game will be extraordinary!"she says,or rather, trills from the podium.

Yeah, brutal,or bloody,or just "Yay! More murder!" Yup,that's me-a ray of sunshine.

"Ladies first,as always," her voice,with its silly Captiol accent echoes throughout the quiet square,and her hand reaches into the glass bowl containing so many names,and plucks two slips of paper from it.

"Katniss Everdeen!" she says. I stare at Katniss in horror,then Effie reads the next name and my mind isn't thinking of Kaniss now-I'm thinking about...

"Angela Ride,"Effie calls out.

In a second,I suddenly see Angel,lying dead in the Arena and I know that there's only one way to save her even from a possiblity of that,and I do it.

"I volunteer!"I yell out as the Peacekeepers are looking for my little sister. But Katniss knows, as well as I do,that maybe,just maybe, we might kill each other. I am willing to take that risk if it means saving Ange from almost certain death.

"Oh, how wonderful! Our first District 12 volunteer! What is your name,dear?"Effie asks me.

"Maximum Ride,"I reply in monotone.

"I bet my hat that was your sister,wasn't it?"

"Yes,"again in monotone.

She picks the boys,calling out"Peeta Mellark and Jeff Walker,"and I don't pay attention until a voice rings out,  
"I volunteer!"

The boy that said it was completely dressed in black, with dark hair and even darker eyes and was the complete opposite of the other boy-Peeta,I guess,who had blond hair and blue eyes.

"And you are..."Effie trails off.

"Nicholas Walker,Jeff's brother,"he replies.

"Oh how charming two volunteers in a day in District 12!"Effie says.

She greets the other boy,who doesn't look that great. I glance at Katniss and see a look of recognition on her features.

Who is this Peeta Mellark? By now,all I really want to do is rest,but before they can usher us to the Justice Building,the people of District 12 give us the gesture of the three fingers,the one meaning "We honor you,"and I have a feeling that it's meant for Nicholas and for me.

"Ladies and gentlemen,may I present the tributes of District 12!" Effie says to the people in the square and to the cameras broadcasting this event to Panem. Us tributes just look at each other,shake hands and enter the dark,gloomy government building.

A/N-Yay! I did it! How was it? PM me!


	3. Chapter 3 The Goodbyes and the Journey

**A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating sooner.I've been so busy with school.**

* * *

I was still in a daze,so I shook myself out of it by remembering that I had to be strong for Angel.I remember Angel giving something to me and whispering in my ear,

"Promise you'll do your best to win,Max!Promise!"

I struggle to find my words among my flood of emotions. I am determined to win,determined to come home,to win and come back to Angel,to the people that know and love me.

"I promise,Angel,I promise with all my heart,"I reply,finding my words again.

I will come back.

I turn to my parents,a sick feeling in my heart. What if this is the last time I can see the people who lovingly raised me,not shunning me because of my mutation?But I can't think of things like that.

I will win.

They bravely choke down tears and trap me in a warm and comforting hug,helping me forget about my future in that terrrible Arena. But the hug is over too soon,reminding me that my parents can't protect me from everything,no matter how hard they try. They both tell me that they love me before they are forced out by the Peacekeepers.

I will win.

I have promised.

And for a moment,I'm alone,but still standing strong.

The Peacekeepers come,and,as I follow them,I think that just want to end this reign of terror. But if you looked at my blank face,you wouldn't suspect a thing.I learned that a long time ago:to shield my feelings from everyone but those I really trust.I unclench my fist,and see what Angel gave me-the golden Mockingjay pin I gave her for her twelfth birthday,the one that enabled her to be chosen for the games. I had always liked Mockingjays because they were,to me at least, something the Capitol had "genetically enhanced" and let go, hoping that the mutations would give them an advantage.

Like me.

Then the Mockingjays backfired on the Captiol,causing them harm instead of good.

Like I always wanted to do,ever since those experiments.

I enter the train and I'm overwhelmed by all luxury. But the luxury also makes me feel like a animal about to be killed.I'm shown to my room by a man in a tuxedo, and I pass out exhausted on the bed.

* * *

"Up now,Maximum! Haymich wants all the tributes in the dining room," Effie says at my door."Do you need assistance?I could come to help."

"No,thank you,Effie,I am perfectly fine I will be there shortly,"I say quickly,to get her from coming in because I had unbound my wings.I wasn't embarrassed,but I didn't want to show all my strengths to everyone.

_"But Katniss knows," _my Voice says. Yes,one of the perks of being 5% avian is that you get an animalistic instinct,but it's more suited to a person.

But lately,I've gotten a feeling that it's more.

Katniss wouldn't fight against me willingly,would she?

As I'm thinking this,I'm rebinding my wings and and throwing on a loose green top with black jeans and making my way down to the dining room where Haymich is,probably drunk.I enter the room,and surprise!I'm the last one arriving. Me,being on early or even on time,would be a miracle,if it ever happened.

"So,sweethearts,Katniss,Maximum,you know each other?"Haymich asks as I sit down on the sofa.

The guts of that jerk!He calmly asks if I know the girl I'm supposed to kill. He apparently can't understand that maybe it's sort of hard to answer that.

Also,he called me sweetheart!_No one _can call me sweetheart,only Angel and ...Kat.

"You do not-"

"-call me sweetheart."Katniss finishes for always do that.

Haymich simply laughs."I'll take that as a yes."

"You're not drunk,"Peeta says in amazement.

"No,I'm not,"Haymich agrees affably."I want to help you."

My first thought is why would he start helping tributes now?He's never really done that.I'm really amazed,and turns out that I'm not the only one who is.

"What?"we all say.

Even Nicholas,who so far has been an emotionless rock.

But his voice sounds familiar somehow,like I've heard it. Where?He doesn't live in the Seam.

Before I can continue my train of thought,though,Haymich stuns us again by saying something else.

"I know,or knew, your of your parents."

How does he know my parents,or even Katniss'?He doesn't even live in the Seam.

_"He has a secret,and it_ is_ your job to find out what it is._"

"Hello,Voice.I suppose you know what it is but won't tell me,correct?" I reply.

No answer.

I'm just going to ask Haymich about what he just said when he starts talking about getting sponsors and finding shelter.

You know-little things.

That help you stay alive.

* * *

"Okay, you can go,but I expect you here again tomorrow,"Haymich says after two hours or so.

Katniss turns to leave and I follow her out into the hallway.

"We need to find out Haymich's secret,Kat. Are you with me?"

"As allies?"

"As allies,"I I have to fight,I want to fight alongside my best friend,not beside a total stranger.

We hug,and now I am facing the Arena not alone,but with a friend.

We face our future with strength and as best friends.

As allies.

* * *

**How was it? Please review!I live on reviews and do you want me to die yet?**


	4. Chapter 4 The Nightmares

**A/N *ducks flying food*I'm so so sorry for not updating.I've had a really bad week,Anyway ,thanks to everybody for their reviews****! Personal thank-yous down there somewhere.**

Fang's POV

As Max leaves,I'm reminded once again of the questions that surface when I think of her.

Why is she so familiar?

Why do I feel I need to protect her?

Maybe it's her courage,her loyalty to her that way she acts,like she has a set purpose,her confidence.

I'm walking down the hallway to my room and I'm so busy thinking of Max that I nearly run into the doorframe.I can't be this distracted,even though it's about Max.I need to think of other things too,like which animal's DNA I'm putting in mine,even though I have a secret nobody else knows about.

But,as I try to sleep,even for a few hours, my sub-consciousness go overdrive.

* * *

_Flashback _

I see the light glint on the evil-looking syringe,so long and man holding it has bright yellow hair,making him look so out of place from the blindingly white walls surrounding me.

Then I feel it.

The pain,so searing that I feel like it's ripping me to shreds.

Then I see it.

The needle entering my skin,so deep that I think that it can never come out again.

Then I black out,escaping for a blissfully long time from this torture.

This mutation.

* * *

I gasp.I keep on having these flashbacks as terrible thoughts of my time at the Lab which I can never erase come back still.

I decide to go grab some food,since I won't be able to sleep for a long ,as I enter,I see looks so disheveled and sleepless,like she's been having nightmares, nightmares about what? I also notice that she's still guarding her emotions,even though it's the middle of the night.

What has she gone through?

Could she be like me?

Of course not.

The Capitol wouldn't do what they did to me to other kids,would they?

"Well,they do send children to fight to the death,every year,Fang,"my Voice reminds me.

I don't reply. I never will answer me,so, I just let it talk,even though I really don't know where it comes from.

It's just simply in my head.

"Why are you here,Nick?"Max asks breaking my line of thought.

"Food,"I I have to ask her something I've been wondering ever since the Reaping,"Why did you volunteer?"

"For the same reason you did,I guess,"she replies,clearly not expecting me to talk to her."Because I love my family too much to let them if it costs me my life,I will protect those whom I love."

She pushes past me,wiping her eyes.

Nice,Fang,really smooth.

* * *

Max POV

Why am I still crying?I haven't cried this much in ages.I ask myself this as I walk down the hallway and enter my room.

"It's because you can cry without anyone depending on you,looking up at you," my Voice answers.

That's true.

In the Lab,there was a baby,with dark eyes and I first arrived at the Lab,I was five and she was barely one,I think.I wonder where she would be twelve,as old as Prim.

I hope she hasn't been Reaped.

It would be terrible to fight her too,the baby I had taken care of as best as I could the whole time we were at the Lab.

We were in the Lab for five years.

And I called the little girl Rue.

She is also the cause of my nightmares.

I just don't get flashbacks,I get nightmares, too. It's practically reliving my time at the Lab,the scenes so vivid and living that I can nearly feel the pain.

But worst are the nightmares about her.

Rue,my adopted little sister,shackled to a steel table in a white room.

Me,watching on unable to help her,as I'm shackled to the wall.

Hearing her agonized screams bounce off and echo throughout the whole room.

Seeing her face contorted with is too young,too sweet to suffer like this.

After that particular nightmare,I had gotten up to get a drink of water.

Then he had reminded me of Angel,my little one who looks up at me at home.

I will come back to her.

I had promised.

But,even though,I still still am,actually.

I throw myself on the bed,and thankfully is spared from those nightmares,those memories.

Which I will remember.

Forever.

* * *

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